ABC News to air 2-hour solar eclipse special

LOS ANGELES — Common sense holds that one should never look directly at an eclipse of the sun. On August 21, ABC News will do it so you don’t have to.

The Walt Disney unit will on Monday, August 21, break into regularly scheduled programming at 1 p.m. Eastern to present a two-hour special, “The Great American Eclipse,” that follows what is expected to be the first total solar eclipse visible in America in 38 years. David Muir, anchor of ABC’s “World News Tonight,” will lead the proceedings.

An ABC News team of reporters will report from viewing parties and landmarks in the “path of totality,” and interview spectators. Viewers will be able to submit photos and videos to ABC for inclusion in the special and on ABC News’ social media platforms.

Muir will lead coverage from Charleston, SC with Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee in Nashville, TN and Meteorologist Rob Marciano in Lincoln City, OR. A team of reporters will include Chief Business and Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, Senior National Correspondent Matt Gutman, “The View” Co-Host and ABC News Correspondent Sara Haines, and Correspondents David Kerley, Clayton Sandell, Nick Watt, Eva Pilgrim, T.J. Holmes and Adrienne Bankert.

The special will also be presented via ABCNews.com, Facebook Live, YouTube and across ABC News social media channels.

ABC News Digital will offer full live coverage and analysis of the solar eclipse on all ABC News platforms and social sites including a pre- and post-live stream show led by Anchor Amna Nawaz at http://www.abcnews.com/live. Viewers will be able to test a cinematic VR experience from within the “path of totality,” with 360-degree video, a time-lapse sequence and an OTT showcase focused on the event. In the week leading up to the eclipse, Digital will have an in-app message encouraging users to sign up for the eclipse alert tag.

ABC News Radio will provide live coverage anchored by Correspondent Aaron Katersky with Correspondent Brad Mielke, and will offer multiple status reports each hour on the ongoing eclipse.

ABC NewsOne, the affiliate news service of ABC News, will offer coverage from both East and West Coasts with ABC News Correspondents Marci Gonzalez and Maggie Rulli for more than 200 ABC affiliates and news partners.

Special Events Senior Executive Producer Marc Burstein will produce “The Great American Eclipse.”